Local Family Has Daughter Born Without a Face

First Coast News ^ | Created: 11/26/2004 12:03:06 PM, Updated: 12/7/2004 1:59:40 PM | Jeannie Blaylock, First Coast News

[AM2000]

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- When most parents have a baby, they spend months dreaming about what their bundle of joy will look like. Will she look like mom? Will he have dad's eyes? But for one local Navy family, the birth of their daughter didn't give them the answers to those questions. Their daughter was born without a face.

When Tammy was pregnant, she knew something was wrong. At worst, they thought maybe their baby had a cleft lip.

So Tammy, and her husband Tom, went to the hospital happy, until the birth.

"The nurse is like, 'We got her stable, we need to rush her upstairs,'" explains Tom, as he recalls every minute of that day. "And the nurse asked, 'Do you want your wife to see her now?'"

Tom says he thought to himself, "Before she gets the shock I did, let me take a picture so she's prepared."

Tammy hadn't seen her new baby yet, because she almost bled to death during delivery. Tammy would be okay, meanwhile, dad went to take pictures of his new daughter.

But no matter what, these new parents had a wish. "That if there was something wrong, she wouldn't be alone. We wanted to make sure she felt loved," said Tom, as he began to cry. "She squeezed my hand."

Little Juliana is missing 30 - 40 percent of the bones in her face.

"She has no upper jaw, no cheek bones, no eye sockets, and she's missing the corner of her ear," explains Tom.

Her birth defect is called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Doctors say it's the worst case they've ever seen.

So, how do you get people to see past all the defects, and find her heart? For mom, it just hurts.

"I just wish people would ask questions. Don't just stare," says Tammy. "I guess the most hurtful thing came not long ago, a little girl said she was disgusting."

Juliana has to eat through her stomach, and she has a trach to breathe. Already, less than two years into her life, she's had 14 surgeries. Doctors say she could need at least 30 more.

Every time she goes to the hospital, doctors make a mold of her head, and then reconstruct her skull to figure out the next step.

It's a life-long process that's draining for Tammy and Tom. Even still, they're thankful and full of love for their sweet child.

"God never gives you more than you can handle. I figure she has a lot to show everyone... to show the world," says Tom.

If you are interested in helping the Wetmore family, a savings account is set up for donations at the Vystar Credit Union in Middleburg.

Donations can be made at ANY Vystar Credit Union to Juliana Wetmore at member number 2102465.

Direct donations can be sent to:

Juliana Wetmore

3018 Hickory Glenn Dr.

Orange Park, FL 32065

[Patsygirl]

I don't think God has a sick sense of humor! Isn't it just possible that by allowing this child to be born this way; for her to actually have lived thru the birth and all she's going thru now--isn't it possible that just maybe God is really TESTING THE REST OF US? So many are so blessed and often take it for granted. It's sure something to think about! May God Bless that baby and her family.

[TexasCowboy]

"We are talking about a little girl with no face, can't eat or breathe on her own."

Don't you understand that her face makes no difference to her parents.....or to God?
They know every wrinkle and every blemish of that child's face, and, to them, that child is beautiful. If you can't understand that, you have the Tin Man's Syndrome. You have no heart.

Thousands of babies can't breathe or eat on their own when they're born. Most of them recover.
Shouldn't they be allowed a chance at life?

[Hildy]

Hey, that's what FR is about. Good people discussing the issues of the day in a civilized manner. I never thoguht you were being anything but passionate about your faith and beliefs. Sleep well. And I will say a prayer for that family. We all know they are going to need many.

[Thumper1960]

Since no one here is that child, no one can say what the child would want. It's a safe bet the child is clueless as to the reality of beauty or ugliness. IMNSHO, I'll state that the child will be shunned by many in society. She will endure numerous surgeries, with unknown results, and she will be an object of curiosity to most people. Society, and the cruelest of society's members--children--will be responsible for the most devestating emotional and psychic scarring she'll endure.

All the while, she and her parents will serve as reminders to others of how "lucky" they are to not be her....or her parents. A self-centered and smug position to hold, but...folks will manage, just the same.

[Waryone]

Man was not fooled. An argument can be made that Eve was fooled, but Adam cannot make that claim. He chose to disobey God and take a bite. Because of his action, sin entered the world. That ability to choose to obey or disobey is the same ability each of us has today. Free will is a gift from God. He could have made us follow each and every command like robots and the world would have remained "perfect," but we would have been unthinking machines.

God gives each of us the freedom to choose to know and love Him or to deny and reject Him. We are not compelled by force to love and obey Him. We who love and obey Him do so because we love Him. If he had hardwired us to do so, our love would not be freely given but forced.

This wonderful family obviously loves their daughter. Given the love they show her, I doubt she will be "damning them to Hell for making her live a life that seemed like Hell." In fact, with the strong faith her parents show, she will probably learn to love and trust God as well as they do.

None of us knows why we are born with the conditions we are born with, but each of us can choose how we view our condition, how we react to situations, and who or what we place our faith in. These decisions have tremendous ramifications as to how our lives progress and where we end up in eternity. Eternity is a hard teacher, but unfortunately some will have to learn that way. I pray that this little girl will never have to learn the hard way.

I praise God for the faith of this family, and I hope little Juliana comprehends God's love for her through the abiding love of her parents. May she grow in grace, faith, wisdom, stature, and peoples' favor. May God's blessings be on her and her family.

[Krodg]

Prayer is a one-way road. You talk to 'him', and he either answers or doesn't.

God answers all prayers of His children. Sometimes He answers yes in a very obvious way and sometimes He says no. The hardest part for us, is that we don't always recognize the answer because He doesn't do things our way. Quite often we look back and realize if He had answered our prayers the way we wanted, we would have missed another blessing.

It's hard to explain to people who look at blessings as something to enjoy physically...

[glasseye]

And I will say a prayer for that family. We all know they are going to need many.

Thank you. Your previous comments were making my blood run cold.

[Kitty Mittens]

Much of what you say is true, Thumper1960. She will not escape the cruelties of others, who worship themselves, and thus have no patience for anyone who looks different from them. My heart aches at the thought of unfeeling and selfish people hurling their insults her way, but, if I were her, I would still want to live.

I look 'normal,' but children were still mean to me in school, calling me names because of my pimples, my Roman nose, etc. I think this happens to most of us at different times. But, to never know the Wonders of God's Creation? To take away her precious life because of the cruelties of others we have all experienced? No, my friend; she must Triumph over those who live only for themselves, to become and do whatever God has Ordained for her in this Life.

[TexasCowboy]

Boy, Syncro!

If that's not the power of our Lord, I've never seen it!

[dandelion]

Having never been one of us - the imperfect, the undesirable, the "defective", perhaps you can never know. I will tell you what I know.

I WANT TO LIVE.

Do not judge whether I want to live or die based on what YOU want me to do.

I'll guarantee you, this child's life is a damn site better than most of the posters' lives on this board. Why? Because SHE KNOWS SHE IS LOVED FOR WHO SHE IS. Who among you can say that? Who among you who calls for this child's death can say that you know that if you were afflicted as she is, that you would be loved as she is?

You say you would not want to live that way? It is because you do not know if you would be loved. You do not know that there are people in your life who would do anything for you, sacrifice for you, make your life beautiful in spite of hardship.

This child, and all of us like her, who have found love and joy in spite of our "imperfections" pity you. We know what we have, and we wish your lives were as beautiful if as hard, as ours. Our lives are beautiful because of love.

This child would not want to be you, nor would she envy you. She will someday have what she longs for - normalcy - and she will still be loved. You will someday be old, and feeble, and perhaps as repulsive as she - but do you know you are loved?

You are loved. You just don't know it yet...

[Kornev]

Well.. Sometimes good things happen when you don't ask god too. And sometimes bad things happen when you ask god for them not to.

Basically, it's all random. You feel vindicated when it goes your way, but you rationalize it away when it doesn't.

[Syncro]

Yes it certainly is TC.

Another poster asked me to find out more about him so I will have to contact the people down the road that helped set up his appearance in this area.

An amazing story, when I find out more I will get his website to you also.

Obviously his wife loved him from the inside out, not the outside in. What a blessing she is to him...and to God.

[dandelion]

"Prayer is a one-way road. You talk to 'him', and he either answers or doesn't. If you get your pray, wow.. He listened. If not, it's one of those mysterious things.

Asking into the mist for things and sometimes they come true, sometimes not, is not an example of real communication."

LOL, that's not prayer, that's a list for Santa Claus! But it's okay, I've done it too. But it's not prayer.

God asks questions of us, and when we answer back, it is prayer. I have seen things that were so much more than me asking for a gift, and getting it.

If I came to you, and I said, "What do you need? What would heal your heart? Who are you?" would you tell me? Would you let me know?

Perhaps not. You are hurt by too many things, and it has become easier to not answer than to face what it is you really need, what it is you may never have. We respond the same way when God asks those questions of us.

You have asked yourself these questions recently, and you have decided it doesn't make any difference anymore. It doesn't matter because they will never love you, the world will still go on, and so God must not exist. But what if the questions were answered?

We'd rather turn away, it's easier than getting hurt again. It is easier to pretend it is just the wind...

but the wind will keep blowing.

[Kornev]

I respect that you believe that there's something to answer your desires.. However, I just think it's no better than a nasty case of OCD. Hoping and wishing that something, somewhere, is listening.

In any case, it's not communication in a practical sense. There's no clear acceptance of the message and a clear answer. It's all vague and could be total chance. I'd probably have as good chance praying to my computer for what I want than to pray to some deity.

[ClintonBeGone]

I was thinking the same thing. I'm really surprised this was not known during tests while Tammy was pregnant.

But they can't fix it till she was born. What could they have done before she was born?

[dandelion]

I understand. Better than you know...

But it's so different than what you are describing. It's like trying to tell you what "red" looks like. But I think you are much closer to God than you realize -

Only people who once truly called on God can feel as you do. Only those of us who have thrown out a cry for help and felt that the brass anvil of Heaven sounded back our empty, unanswered prayers, could possibly understand our coldness at the thought of prayer.

Where was the hand to save? Where was the light in our darkness, when we called for help and no one came?

I know.

[Kornev]

Well, when you are rebuted and faith seems to make no difference.. Well.. You wonder, where the times you did feel glad just random occurences? Good luck? I believe that's how the universe works. It's just a natural thing. There may indeed be a supreme being and an afterlife of sorts, but I'm not sure any deity really listens to our requests.

[jellybean]

"God never gives you more than you can handle."

Tripe!

God didn't promise that to you, so you needn't worry about it. It is a promise to those who trust Him.

[Next_Time_NJ]

Posterchild for Pro-Life - Pro Family.

[dandelion]

I can't help but smiling at you - you look like me inside. If I could just reach through this screen, and touch your hand, I could show you what I see...

But this is the difference - sometimes God speaks to us, and we do not recognize His voice. Sometimes, in the infinity of all this space, when we see him, he looks so much like - one of us, a stranger on the street, and the gifts are given without any asking of us - we have a hard time believing that God is God. Didn't look like God - didn't sound like God -

And yet, the hand is the Hand of God, the voice is the Voice of God, the gifts are the Gifts of God the same. Even when we do not believe in God, it does not change His existence.

I believe what you are saying. You have a pain that I can never know, and I know your experiences have made it the only reality you yet have. You are telling me the truth about your life.

Do you believe me?